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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27977721">Hot Chocolate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoreAndGlitter/pseuds/GoreAndGlitter'>GoreAndGlitter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Budding Love, Childhood Memories, Discovery, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gentle sides, Hurt/Comfort, I can write none sexual stuff!, I'm not a total perv, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Mild Language, Past Relationship(s), Simple Love, appreciation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:33:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,944</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27977721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoreAndGlitter/pseuds/GoreAndGlitter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Awaking from a nightmare, Angel takes his beloved pet along to comfort himself in his fonder memories but a certain radio demon happens to find them. What could happen at such a late time?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alastor &amp; Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Finding Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It wasn’t me! I’m sorry! I didn’t do it!” A panicked voice shouted.</p><p>Angel awoke drenched in sweat, his faithful piglet at his side squeaking softly as he worried about his owner.</p><p>The pink spider demon relaxed on his back now realising what had happened was only a dream. Fat nuggets nuzzled his way under Angel’s top right arm, snuggling into him hoping it would calm him.<br/>
Sighing, Angel picked up the piglet and placed it on his chest smiling softly as the swine laid contently in his fluff.</p><p>Watching his companion, the spider tried to shake his nightmare from his mind, with no success. Why did his past still haunt him after all these years? He blamed this hotel. He blamed Charlie and her chirpy disposition. At least, he would blame Charlie if he didn’t feel guilty about it.</p><p>What was happening to him? He wouldn’t normally care who he blamed for what was going on as long as it wasn’t him. He’d learned to fend for himself and not care about anything but himself but since he started spending time around the Princess, he felt like he’d found his heart again and he was starting to hate it. He was starting to hate himself more with every day that passed.</p><p>Of course, Angel should probably tell Charlie about this but she would make far too much of a fuss over him, Vaggie would roll her eyes and call him a drama queen, Nifty would attempt to clean his troubles away, Husk would just offer him booze that he would find hard to refuse and, Alastor would continue to disapprove of him at a distance.</p><p>If the pink-loving demon gave it too much thought, he would say that Alastor constantly keeping him at arm's length was really starting to bother him. So, Angel had offered him something the radio demon would call vulgar when they first met but, that really was all Angel thought himself good for at the time. Sex was his specialty.</p><p>He knew he was good at what he did, fuck, he was one of the best and everyone really did want a piece of him; at least almost everyone. Once upon a time, Angel would have been flattered at that fact but now, he’d started seeing that it wasn’t HIM they wanted. It was more SOMETHING they wanted from him.</p><p>Huffing and grabbing his phone to check the time, he saw it was only 2 am. He’d been asleep maybe just over an hour and wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to sleep just yet with the nightmare and thoughts still taunting his mind.</p><p>Shifting Fat Nuggets to be on his lap supported by his lower set of arms, Angel sat up and rubbed his face with his top set of hands. Maybe being out of his room would help his mind calm down. Setting the piglet down on his bed, Angel grabbed his sheer black dressing gown with pink fur and tied it around himself.</p><p>Before he turned around, Angel caught sight of himself in the mirror. He had no makeup on and really did look tired. There were bruises showing through his fur under his right eye where he’d been hit earlier that night. Normally he loved to look at his reflection but right now, he didn’t want to see this. The gown looked cute over his short pajamas though.</p><p>As Angel walked over to the door and reached for the handle, Fat Nuggets oinked and hopped down off the bed, trotting over to the door and sitting down.</p><p>Angel couldn’t hold back a chuckle at his companion. The piglet always seemed to know when something wasn’t right and when the demon didn’t want to be alone.</p><p>“Alright Nuggy, you can come with me.” Angel hushed to the other, leaning down and collecting him from the floor.</p><p>Everyone would be asleep now and Charlie had the hotel locked tight up on a night. He wouldn’t have to worry about keeping the pig away from Alastor either who seemed set on trying to eat him. Angel half hoped it was just to test that the spider was capable of emotion but there was more than half of him that said it was because the deer was mentally unstable.</p><p>Leaving his room quietly, closing his door behind him, Angel walked silently down the hall and gracefully descended the stairs, his gown flowing behind his long legs giving any villain wanting such an entrance a run for their money.</p><p>Coming to the main entrance, Angel was relieved to find no one here. Husk had closed the bar and a sign stood on the countertop reading “See you at noon” with a smiley face, clearly Charlie’s handy work. It was nice to see that the others did things to appease their overly hopeful Princess as well as him.</p><p>Slipping through the room and down another hall, the spider stopped in the entrance to the kitchen where he set Fat Nuggets down from his hold. The piglet squeaked softly and jumped around his owners' feet for a moment before trotting over towards a set of cupboards and sat down, looking up.</p><p>Stepping into the room, it now dawned on Angel that he wasn’t wearing any shoes and he could feel the cold tiles on his soft pads. He never left his room without covering his feet due to how much he disliked them but, no one was around so he supposed it didn’t matter.</p><p>Walking over to where Fat Nuggets had sat, he pulled open the top cupboard while watching his pet for the reaction. Another chuckle left his throat as he realised the piglet tapped his two front feet signaling that Angel was on the right track.</p><p>Looking into the cupboard Angel saw an arrangement of baking supplies but none of them were what he was after. Sliding a box to the side he found numerous bars of chocolate stacked.<br/>
Fat Nuggets tapped his front trotters again and Angel smiled. Hot chocolate. That’s what the piglet was trying to tell him.</p><p>In life, when Angel had woken in the night from nightmares, night terrors, or simply couldn’t sleep, he would slip from his room trying not to wake his twin sister. Strangely enough, he always found his mother was awake who was never startled to see him. She would smile gently at him and hold an arm out to her youngest son. He would move swiftly to her, feeling safe in her grasp, and look around to see if his father was awake.</p><p>More often than not, his father was passed out cold from drinking either on the couch or if his mother had been lucky enough to wake him that night, in bed.</p><p>From there, she would take her youngest boy to the kitchen and sit him at the table while she moved about the kitchen in almost perfect silence making hot chocolate for the two of them. Once ready, she would sit with her son and talk to him about anything. Sometimes it was the dreams, sometimes it was thoughts, and other times it was simply nothing specific.</p><p>Regardless of the conversation, Angel had treasured those moments alone with his mother. There were times Molly would wake up and come to find her brother and would join them and on a rare occasion, Arackniss too would join them.</p><p>Times were perhaps simpler then, Angel supposed and the worst was yet to come for them all but that took nothing away from the fond memories he had.</p><p>Since then, Angel found comfort in hot chocolate at late hours when he couldn’t sleep no matter what the reason. He’d once brought up a cup to his room so he could stay with Fat Nuggets, finding his pet seemed to love the drink too. It wasn’t Angels' intention to feed the drink to the piglet, he’d simply lost himself in thought and the swine’s curiosity had peaked before lapping at the cup. If Fat Nuggets was an earthly pig he knew this would probably kill him but he had been fine. The piglet had begun to associate the drink with comfort for Angel and would hop up into his lap when he was near him drinking the liquid.</p><p>Angel sometimes made two cups of the drink so he could give one to his pet rather than splitting the one between the two of them. If anyone else knew, they might think Angel was losing his mind but only Husk and Nifty knew how much he loved the piglet.</p><p>Lost in his memories of his mother, Angel had begun warming milk to melt to chocolate. He knew there was powder to use and Charlie had a machine that would make the drink too, but he preferred to make it this way. His mother’s late-night way.</p><p>Fat Nuggets had trotted around while Angel was working, sometimes sitting next to his owner and waiting patiently. Unbeknownst to Angel, the piglet had at once point sat in the doorway of the kitchen seeming to watch something down the hall before turning and coming back to Angel.</p><p>When the milk was finally warm enough in the pan Angel was using, he pulled himself from thought and took the liquid off heat. Opening a different cupboard, Angel pulled a mug from the back carefully. This was one that belonged to him, dark navy blue with silver stars etched on it.</p><p>He’d seen it in a store he was passing a few years after Angel awoke in hell. It stood out to him but the reason the demon never divulged the details to anyone. It didn’t look like something that belonged to him and Angel was sometimes reluctant to leave it in the kitchen.</p><p>Nifty had persuaded him that the china piece would be safe in there. It was rare people used items from the back of the cupboards anyway and if it was downstairs, Nifty could make sure the piece stayed clean.</p><p>Opening a bar of chocolate and snapping a few pieces off, Angel dropped them into the cooling pan of milk and stirred it in, adding in a few more pieces as they melted until half a bar of chocolate was gone and the drink was ready.</p><p>Leaning over to one of the lower cupboards, Angel pulled out one of Fat Nuggets drinking bowls and set it next to his mug. Pouring the hot chocolate into both containers and setting the rest in the pan back on the stove, Angel walked over to the table in the centre of the room.</p><p>Setting his mug down, he placed the pet's bowl on the floor and smiled seeing the pig had been at his heels the entire time.</p><p>“Don’t drink it too fast Nuggsy, it’s still hot.” Angel cooed to the piglet who sat obediently at his feet as if he understood to wait.</p><p>Sitting at the table, Angel sipped from the mug and sighed. Looking around the room, the small radio on the table caught his attention. Reaching out with one of his lower arms he made sure the volume was low and turned the device on.</p><p>He didn’t know the song that was playing but it had a nice bounce to it. It also wasn’t something he would normally listen to, nor did it dawn on him that this was something that Alastor was more likely last listening to when he was in the kitchen.</p><p>Angel found himself tapping his foot to the music as he nursed the mug in his hand. Looking down at his companion he smiled as the pig was still waiting for the liquid in his bowl to cool off a little more but was watching his owner intently. If the animal was able to smile, Angel was sure he would be doing so now.</p><p>Sipping from his mug as the music played, the spider demon found himself swaying gently to the music. It made him want to dance and not in the ways he had to at work. His memories were brought back to the time he would dance around with his mother and Molly.</p><p>This would happen when their father wasn’t home or was passed out. His mother knew how much he hated seeing his sons doing such things and would rather they learned to dance properly so that they representing his family in a way he respected.</p><p>When they were alone, even Arackniss would smile and play with them. Those were the times they were happy. They were young and at that time, carefree.</p><p>Setting his mug down, Angel slide to his feet gracefully and moved around the open space in the kitchen almost as if his mother was there to hold him once more in their playful dance. He could see her smiling face in his mind, hear Molly’s giggle and Arackniss’ chuckle.</p><p>Those were times he wished would never end.</p><p>Out of sight from the spider demon and his pet, a pair of eyes were watching him move around. Taking in the rare sight they got to see. Angel was always playing a character with a different persona. Yet there he was, while still having an attire that said Angel Dust, no makeup, no shoes, and no guard; smiling.</p><p>Angel was so lost in his movements he hadn’t noticed Fat Nuggets bouncing about at first. It wasn’t until the music changed to something a little slower and calmer that he looked down to see his pet bounding about his feet.</p><p>A soft giggle left the spider demon's lips as he watched his beloved companion play around till he was frozen to the spot. A slow clap emitted from the doorway and forced his eyes to snap up to the figure in the room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Vulnerability</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Caught dancing around in the kitchen, Angel finds himself facing someone in a way he never thought he would.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fat Nuggets stopped what he was doing and sat down between Angel’s feet, looking over at the demon in the entrance to the kitchen. He was unphased by the presence as he’d already seen him but his owner now seemed unhappy so curiosity wouldn’t get the better of the piglet.</p>
<p>Angel couldn’t find words to push past his lips as his eyes locked onto a seemingly never-fading grin. Of course, he had been caught at a vulnerable moment by the radio demon and looking like this.<br/>
“Bravo, Angel. That was something most wonderful to see.” Alastor spoke from where he stood.</p>
<p>Angel felt his face heat up a little. Alastor’s voice wasn’t layered with his normal static radio flare which was interesting to hear. He looked down at Fat Nuggets becoming hyper-aware that the cannibal demon was now in the same room as his beloved pet and the main exit to the room was blocked by the very same demon.</p>
<p>Shifting his dressing gown, Angel partially covered the piglet with the fur trim on the end of the fabric but the pig wasn’t having that and nudged his little face out from under the fabric. Angel swallowed the smile at his pets curiosity and looked at Alastor.</p>
<p>He realised the radio demon wasn’t in his normal red and black suit and tie but instead was clothed in plain red, long pyjamas. His monocle wasn’t anywhere to be seen nor was his microphone. He must have been asleep till not long ago.</p>
<p>Angel still found he had nothing to say to Alastor, still a little in shock that the other was there, in almost as much vulnerability as he was might he add, and had caught him dancing about like a teenaged girl.</p>
<p>“Now, don’t be shy, Angel. That isn’t like you.” Alastor commented as he came into the kitchen a little more, “Your dancing was wonderful and song choice was good.”</p>
<p>The spider had to respond, he had a persona to keep.</p>
<p>“Yeah, smiles? You like seeing me swaying my hips for you?” Angel grinned.</p>
<p>Honestly, Angel didn’t feel like flirting with the man right now or anyone else for that matter. He was still trying to push memories of his family out of his head while processing what was happening and making sure Alastor wasn’t going to try and eat his pet.</p>
<p>Alastor raised an eyebrow at the other and folded his arms responding, “You know that isn’t what I meant, Angel, and I know that isn’t what you were doing.”</p>
<p>Struggling to think of a reply, Angel’s thoughts were cut off when Alastor continued, “It was almost like you weren’t here at all. You were somewhere else. Even your pig noticed how happy you were.”</p>
<p>Angel swallowed thickly and looked down to the piglet peaking out from under the fur. Alastor had recognised Angel’s attempt to shield the swine from his sight and secretly admitted it was rather precious. The piglet's small face peering out from under the fur of Angel’s clothing was cute.</p>
<p>Leaning down and picking Fat Nuggets up with his lower arms, Angel returned to the chair he had been sat in before he had begun dancing.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you mean, smiles,” Angel spoke half-heartedly.</p>
<p>He knew exactly what Alastor meant but the other demon didn’t need to know that. Maybe he could keep the other guessing or he could irritate him enough to get him to leave him alone. He wished he’d be able to do that latter but, this was the most Angel had heard Alastor speak to him when alone without disregarding him.</p>
<p>Looking carefully over the spider demon, Alastor could see a dark marking around Angel’s eye under his fur which shook something violent in him. Just because he and Angel didn’t exactly have a friendship, that didn’t mean that Alastor couldn’t feel angry at someone hurting another.</p>
<p>He knew what Angel did for work and couldn’t be sure that violent acts weren’t part of that but he knew Angel wouldn’t allow this kind of thing to happen to his face. He called his face the money maker far too often and kept his appearance as pristine as he was able. This left Alastor to conclude that this bruise had been purposefully inflicted on Angel for someone else’s pleasure.</p>
<p>Not wanting Angel to scamper from him so soon, he thought it best not to question it for now. He would want to address it at some point though.</p>
<p>“Of course you don’t.” Alastor grinned as he walked over to the stove to the pan that Angel had set to the side.</p>
<p>Angel reached out with his top set of hands and pulled his mug to him, watching Alastor out of the corner of his eye. As the radio demon stalked past him, he saw a small fluffy tail popping out from the hem of his shirt. He’d never this appendage on the other before and watched as it twitched slightly. It was rather cute to see and he supposed that having a cute tail wouldn’t really play well with him being an overlord. He wondered why Alastor would keep his tail hidden but realised it could be the same reason Angel kept his feet covered.</p>
<p>Angel didn’t want to answer questions about what he was doing right now or why. He didn’t want to divulge precious information to a man that could possibly erase him, at least that’s what Vaggie was convinced.</p>
<p>He might not get along with the white-haired girl all the time but he did listen to what she said from time to time and she had seemed adamant about the radio demon.</p>
<p>“What is this?” Alastor asked simply, tilting the pan.</p>
<p>Angel turned to look at the other who had a curious look on his face taking the spider back for a moment. Was he seeing Alastor with another expression than that grin?</p>
<p>“Hot chocolate.” Angel said bluntly, “Never seen hot chocolate before?”</p>
<p>Alastor swirled the contents of the pan before setting it flat and looking over at the other.</p>
<p>“Of course I have. What I meant to ask was, what is in it?” Alastor questioned a little flatly.</p>
<p>Angel raised an eyebrow, pulling his mug closer to him and petting Fat Nuggets in his other arms as he looked at Alastor.</p>
<p>“Milk and chocolate. What do you make it with? Blood and whiskey?” Angel replied sarcastically.</p>
<p>Looking a little irritated, Angel swore he saw that famous smile falter, Alastor rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Just because I eat what I do, doesn’t mean I make everything with it. I certainly don’t feed it to you or the others.” Alastor responded informatively.</p>
<p>Angel hadn’t actually considered that Alastor could feed them exactly what he eats when he cooked. The thought made him a little woozy so it was a little reassuring to hear that he didn’t. Sure, his own eating habits were strange but that was part of being the demon that he was but he didn’t eat other demons.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Alastor asked, leaning back against the counter he was in front of.</p>
<p>The radio demon had noticed Angel seemed to lose a little colour at the mention of feeding the others his unusual diet. His expression had also changed and he’d swallowed thickly when he looked away from the other.</p>
<p>Not realising he’d looked away, Angel brought his eyes back to Alastor and gave him his signature grin.</p>
<p>“Why wouldn’t I be?” Angel chirped out.</p>
<p>There was a moment's silence between the two demons while Angel slowly continued to pet Fat Nuggets. The moment felt like an age and it was awkward for Angel to say the least. He wasn’t used to being seen this way for such a long proximity by people. Cherri had seen him this way and Molly had a few times while they had both been down in hell but, no one else that he could think off of the top of his head. Angel would have preferred to keep it this way.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to be so guarded, Angel. I’m not here to hurt you.” Alastor spoke softly, a strange undertone of what Angel would only describe as hurt layering the voice.</p>
<p>The smile Alastor usually wore had faded and it was only now the spider had noticed. It was strange to see the radio demon this way but somehow enticing. It made Angel feel like Alastor was showing him he wasn’t simply another overlord looking for more souls to collect.</p>
<p>Looking away from the demon, Angel fidgeted with the mug in his hands. Fat Nuggets was still in his lower arms, feeling his owners' heartbeat changing. The piglet had no clue what was happening but he wanted his owner to happy again. Lightly licking the hand closest to his mouth, a smile formed on Angel’s face.</p>
<p>“Could have fooled me,” Angel muttered to himself in response to Alastor, hoping he didn’t hear him.</p>
<p>Luck wasn’t to play in his favour that moment though, as Alastor did hear what he said. Alastor knew he wasn’t the friendliest person to be around and gave off an aura of death and murder but it wasn’t so much his intention to display this to the residents of the hotel anymore.</p>
<p>Over the time he’d spent at the hotel, he’d come to appreciate the others around him; four of them anyway. Two didn’t entirely count since he did already know them. After this time, he still didn’t know much about Angel. The two never seemed to linger in the same room too long on their own and neither was willing to talk about anything personal around people. It was a built-in defence mechanism.<br/>
He wouldn’t mind getting to know Angel a little more but he was always so crude and inappropriate. Alastor felt uncomfortable when certain things were said and he just had to excuse himself away from the other. He did have his own defence mechanisms to pull Angel down a notch but these didn’t always work too well as he seemed to upset the other. Angel wouldn’t admit that it upset him but Alastor could see it in his face that it did.</p>
<p>Smile fully gone, Alastor thought back quickly as to why Angel would have reason to feel such a way towards him. Conversations between the two were popping up in his mind and all of them just weren’t who the two really were.</p>
<p>Seeing Angel dancing around and giggling and smiling was proof to the radio demon that there was more to the sex worker than met the eye or ear. He couldn’t say that he too wasn’t playing a part when he was around people. He had a reputation to keep as well but one Nifty and Husk knew differently.</p>
<p>Would it really be so bad if one more person was to know who he really was? Would the other trust him enough to allow him to get to know the real person behind the Angel Dusk façade?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Shorter chapter than the last, I know. Hoping you're loving this as much as I did writing it! I honestly don't write such cute stuff but here I am!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Late Night Confessions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Changing the subject, Alastor asked, “May I have some?”</p>
<p>Angel looked back over at Alastor confused, trying to hide his shock at the lack of creepy grin on the others face, “Have some of what?”</p>
<p>“Hot chocolate,” Alastor stated simply.</p>
<p>Angel was taken aback at the simple request.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah I guess,” Angel replied.</p>
<p>He couldn’t really say no, not if he didn’t want to explain what this all meant to him. It wasn’t like Alastor had asked anything outrageous either. His eyes followed the radio demon as he opened the same cupboard he pulled his mug from and pulled one from the back of the cupboard, just like he had.</p>
<p>The mug in question was pale pink with delicately painted powder blue flowers, something he’d never seen the overlord with before.</p>
<p>Pouring the liquid into the mug, Alastor moved across to the opposite side of the table to Angel and sat down facing him before lifting the drink to his lips and sipping. It was sweet, but it wasn’t overpowering. He wasn’t really a fan of sweet things but this was good.</p>
<p>Angel stopped staring as soon as he caught himself and lifted his own mug to his lips, happy it was finally cooling enough for him to drink it properly. As the two demons sat at the table silently drinking, Fat Nuggets wriggled in his owners' arms.</p>
<p>Looking down at his pet, the spider knew he too wanted to be able to drink his treat. Smiling, Angel set Fat Nuggets down, albeit reluctantly, so he could get to his bowl.</p>
<p>Alastor watched as Angel put his pet down, seeming still tense as he did so. The piglet stood next to Angel, lapping happily at the bowl on the ground which he could see also had hot chocolate in. Angel really did care for this animal. It then hit the radio demon why he the other was so tense at setting him down.</p>
<p>“Angel,” Alastor spoke the others name as if it was a request to have him look at him.</p>
<p>Turning his attention to the overlord, he looked questioningly at him.</p>
<p>“I’m not here to hurt anyone here,” Alastor repeated.</p>
<p>Angel blinked, confused to why he would say the same thing to the demon as he had already said. It took a moment until it sank in what Alastor was getting at. He’d noticed Angel was tense about Fat Nuggets and Alastor being in the same room.</p>
<p>He was telling him he wasn’t going to hurt his beloved pet. While he didn’t outright say that, Angel felt himself relax a little praying to whoever could hear his thoughts that he wouldn’t regret this.</p>
<p>Giving a single nod, Angel drank from him slowly emptying cup without a word.</p>
<p>Alastor was a little pleased that Angel seemed to settle a little now he understood what the other was telling him. He didn’t fully understand why he wished Angel would relax around him and be himself, but he supposed he was so used to being this enthusiastic character around him that the habit was hard to break.</p>
<p>“This is delicious.” Alastor hushed after he took another drink from his mug.</p>
<p>Angel couldn’t stop the grin growing on his face.</p>
<p>“It’s just milk and chocolate, smiles.” Angel chuckled.</p>
<p>Alastor, for the first time since he’d met Angel, saw a genuine grin on the others face. It was a sight to see and one he would like to see the other wear more often around the hotel. That would really please Charlie, to see her “patient” showing genuine joy.</p>
<p>Despite that fleeting though, Alastor silently rejoiced that was possibly the first resident of the hotel to see Angel this way.</p>
<p>“That it is, Angel, but it’s done perfectly. No clumps of chocolate and the milk isn’t scorched.” Alastor pointed out.</p>
<p>Angel had never really thought about those things. He simply kept making the simple drink until it tasted as close as he could remember.</p>
<p>Before he could stop the words escaping his lips he stated, “my mother used to make it for me.”</p>
<p>Alastor suddenly felt like he was graced with information no one else knew and from the look on Angel’s face, he was sure that was true. A smile came to his lips and he lowered his mug to the table but didn’t let it go.</p>
<p>Now, sat across from the pink and white demon was an overlord who he was sure hated him, smiling genuinely at him while he sat in shock.</p>
<p>He didn’t know why he told Alastor that or why he felt slightly glad that he did. The selfish thought that he was the first to see this side of the radio demon came to mind. He probably wasn’t, but he could dream. He could feel slight heat on his face, sure he was blushing from embarrassment. The words had simply slipped out and opened himself up further than he already had from looks to his small dance performance.</p>
<p>Stopping the silence becoming too long, Alastor spoke, “My mother used to have a china set when I was younger. She used to say it was her best set and she would save it for guests to use when we had them. When one of us was having a bad day, she would pull out two of the cups from this set and use them for us. They were a beautiful pale pink set, with blue flowers.”</p>
<p>Angel was watching Alastor intently as he spoke and saw the others hands part from around the mug he was holding, enough to show the pattern on the china. It was what Alastor had described.<br/>
“I found the cup in a store I visited more years ago than I can remember. It was a simple pale pink mug when I found it. I asked the store assistant if it could be personalised. They didn’t ask questions, who does with me? They must have simply assumed it was a gift for someone.” Alastor explained and sighed, “Simple pleasures.”</p>
<p>Angel was smiling at Alastor, wider than he had been earlier and repeated, “Simple pleasures.”</p>
<p>The spider demon wasn’t sure what universe he’d entered or if he’d slipped and hit his head while dancing around the kitchen but he didn’t want to go back to where he was before. He didn’t want this to not be real. The radio demon was genuinely talking to him and telling him something about his life. Demons rarely told each other anything from their lives unless it was to benefit them. He could hope this would benefit them both, friendship wise.</p>
<p>Looking down at his piglet who was still lapping up his treat, Angel divulged, “Mama didn’t really have any dinner sets. Pops was awful good at breaking things so she didn’t really see the point of having them if he was only going to break them.”</p>
<p>What Angel should have said was, his father had an awful temper and wasn’t above breaking anyone’s things to get the point across that he was angry. His mother had had a few dinner sets and each of them had ended up in pieces so she simply didn’t buy them anymore. Plus, the family found that pulling splinters of fine china pieces from their skin hurt more than the cheap stuff.</p>
<p>“She did manage to keep a set of four mugs though. Hid them away under the sink from Pops. He never went under there since the cleaning stuff was there and, cleaning was a woman’s job as Pops liked to point out.” He continued, “They were dark blue with small silver stars painted on them. She used to use them with me and my siblings. She’d say drink from stars and remember that you’re one.”<br/>
A small collection of tears had begun gathering in Angel’s eyes, not that he’d realised, as he spoke of his mother.</p>
<p>“I knew Ma wasn’t going to end up here. When she died, I moved the cups in hope Pops wouldn’t find them. He did though. Broke every last one of them. When I wound up down here, I didn’t give things much thought. Checking out a store one day, I saw this mug and I thought I’d had to be dreaming. A dark blue china piece with sliver stars was just sitting there. It was the only thing I bought that day.” Angel finished, tears dripping from his face.</p>
<p>Fat Nuggets had finished his treat a while back and was rubbing against Angel’s leg trying to comfort him. Hiccupping softly, Angel let go of his cup with his top right hand and brought it to his face, wiping away tears he was now aware were there.</p>
<p>This isn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want to be seen so weak in front of someone so powerful. He’d gotten into some serious mess this way and wasn’t about to do so again. Picking up his piglet, who nuzzled into this lower set of arms, Angel looked up to find Alastor smiling softly at him.</p>
<p>Alastor had noticed the moment the tears had begun to form in Angel’s eyes and the second they began to travel down his fur. Something in his chest ached lightly watching the scene before him. If he didn’t think the spider would flinch away from him, he possibly would have reached out to wipe those tears away.</p>
<p>He wanted to pull Angel to him and tell him it would be okay. He wished to tell him that not everything from their lives was as bad as hell made it out to be. He’d gently brush those tears away from round Angel’s damaged eye and hold him close, letting him know he wasn’t alone here; not anymore.</p>
<p>There was no evil sat about him right now. Alastor looked touched by what Angel had told him. The two of them had shared stories of things demons normally kept to themselves and found that with this, they weren’t so different. They both had hearts that could care and minds that remembered.</p>
<p>The chocolate that was both of their cups had begun to go cold although neither of them seemed overly bothered at this moment in time. The music that had been playing from the radio had not been turned off but had tuned out in both demon’s mind.</p>
<p>Both males let go of their cups, Alastor folding his hands together on the table and Angel wrapping his around his arms. The spider had focused his attention Fat Nuggets the best he could while Alastor could only watch the other demon as some bouncy tune came to an end and another began.</p>
<p>A past time of his own was dancing with his mother playfully, much as Angel had but that he didn’t know. Collecting his thoughts, Alastor didn’t see any reason not to ask the other his next question. He could only hope that Angel would say yes.</p>
<p>“Angel, would you like to dance with me, my dear?” Alastor asked softly.</p>
<p>Angel wasn’t sure he had heard the radio demon correctly. Had he just asked him to dance? Had he just called him dear? Tonight, was nothing short of a rollercoaster for him and he wasn’t sure how his mind was keeping up if it was at all. Thinking about Alastor’s request for half a minute, he didn’t see why he should say no. The worst that could happen is Angel would mess up the dance and he was certain he’d already embarrassed himself.</p>
<p>Alastor only wanted to comfort the other but still didn’t want to frighten him away. This was all new to Angel just as this side of Angel was new to him. He had every chance to reject this and pretend he didn’t care, returning to his room but he felt drawn to this side of the other demon. He couldn’t tear himself away from reality. While he’d said that it was the best form of entertainment, he’d failed to mention that it could hold the rawest emotions and one’s that could impact a life.</p>
<p>Smiling gently, Angel agreed, “Sure.”</p>
<p>Standing, Alastor held out a hand to Angel who felt his breathe be taken back. The radio demon never wanted to be touched and yet here he was offering his hand to the spider. Setting his pet down once more, Angel took Alastor’s hand with his top left and walked around the table.</p>
<p>Alastor twirled Angel once, the dressing gown flowing out before twisting around him then falling back to its natural hang. Pulling the other to him, Angel now realised that the deer demon wasn’t wearing shoes, just like him.<br/>
#<br/>
The pair looked down at their feet and then back up at each other. Angel had never noticed how hoof-like Alastors feet were before. Sure, he’d noticed the red hoof print on the base of his shoes but it didn’t occur to him that his feet could be that way.</p>
<p>Alastor on the other hand had never seen the spider demon without his feet fully covered. The fur around them and up his lower leg was a very pale white and looked fluffier than the rest of his fur. Angel’s feet had small claws protruding from them but they weren’t disproportionate to his tiny appendages. They really were tiny which wouldn’t have been the radio demons guess from the boots Angel wore.</p>
<p>The duo stood for a moment contemplating their thoughts and admiring that little open vulnerability from the other, neither of them aware that they had locked eyes and were staring at each other. Alastor knew this wasn’t for him to see purposefully as he was sure Angel had thought he was alone but it was nice that the spider hadn’t run from him.</p>
<p>No words were exchanged about what they both saw, instead the two began to playfully and lightly jive to the music playing all while Fat Nuggets sat and watched until he laid down, content his owner was happy.</p>
<p>The demon duo must have danced for ten minutes, chuckling at the other’s playfulness until the music swapped to be slower again. Letting go of each other’s hands, Alastor bowed and Angle curtsied making them both chuckle. While it was only a short time, it had been fun for them to lose themselves on who they really were at heart.</p>
<p>Angel looked around to find his piglet laid down on the tiles and smiled gently.</p>
<p>“I think I should be taking Nuggsy to bed. I did wake him up by accident.” Angel admitted.</p>
<p>“I think it’s wise for us all to head back to bed, it almost half-past three in the morning.” Alastor agreed.</p>
<p>Time had passed much slower than Angel had thought it had, which in a way was a good thing. It meant he could still sleep plenty and so could Alastor. Both of the males picked up their mugs, Angel picking up Fat Nuggets’ bowl, and moved them over to the sink where Alastor held out his hand to take the items.</p>
<p>Handing across the pet bowl then looking into the china cup, he downed the rest of the cold chocolate from it and pulled a face making Alastor chuckle.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s not the best when it’s cold,” Angel stated.</p>
<p>Rinsing off the items used tonight, Alastor left them on the side for Nifty to sort when she was up. He knew she would take care of things for them both without asking questions which would work in their favour.</p>
<p>Without saying a word, both of the demons left the kitchen and ascended the stairs until they were at Angel’s floor.</p>
<p>Stopping at the end of the hall, Angel looked at the other uttering, “Goodnight, Alastor.”</p>
<p>The radio demon smiled at the other and replied, “Goodnight, my dear Angel.”</p>
<p>With their farewells said, Angel lightly brushed his arm against Alastor’s as he smiled gently. Normally Alastor would have pulled away from the other but appreciated the small gesture, taking it as a thank you.</p>
<p>Walking down the hallway, Angel approached his room. Opening and closing the door behind him quietly he walked to his bed and flopped, making sure he didn’t hurt Fat Nuggets.</p>
<p>“What am I doing, Nuggsy?” Angel asked aloud, thinking back on the evening events as he closed his eyes, in hope sleep would catch him.</p>
<p>Slipping into the shadows out in the hallway to enter his own room, Alastor found himself asking the same question. Sliding into his bed, he tried to shut off his thoughts as he kept finding Angel in them.</p>
<p>Both demons found sleep alongside the wonder if they could really be friends. They supposed the morning would tell but neither of them would admit they felt something different tonight than they ever had with anyone else. Perhaps that was a secret best kept.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that is that folks! I had a lot of fun writing that and I'm hoping to create a little series from this and carry on the story. I loved being able to jump in on a different side of two characters that have been inspired by a number of stories I've read, and comics and dubs! I'm trying to hold onto Viv's actual character creations with my own little twist!</p>
<p>I'm more than happy to take requests on ideas to keep this going or even a fic you'd love to see! I enjoy the challenge! Hope to hear from y'all soon! Mwah!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Late-night inspiration hit me as I binge-watched Hazbin hotel and Helluva Boss again and this is what I wrote. It's my first dive into the Hazbin fandom rather than hiding in the background. Hope you enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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